1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to reel-braking devices; in particular to dual-bearing reel centrifugal braking devices for braking the spool rotatively provided in the reel body.
2. Description of Related Art
In dual-bearing reels referred to as a bait reels, utilized mainly for lure fishing, generally braking force is made to act on the spool so that backlash, wherein the rotational speed of the spool when casting is faster than the line wind-out speed, does not occur. Centrifugal braking devices that employ centrifugal force developing from spool rotation to brake the spool are an example of this type of braking mechanism.
Centrifugal braking devices of this class are in general provided with: a plurality of shifting members fitted to permit radial shifting at circumferentially spaced intervals on the spool, or on a rotary member that rotates linked with the spool; and a cylindrical brake element fixed to the body of the reel, disposed at the outer peripheral ends of the shifting members, enabling contact with the shifting members.
In this centrifugal braking device, when the spool rotates, the shifting members travel radially outward under centrifugal force and contact on the braking surface to brake the spool. Since the centrifugal force increases in proportion to the square of the rotational speed of the spool, the spool rotating at low speeds when reeling-in line does not make the braking force very large; the spool rotating at high speeds when casting does make it large. Therefore, the centrifugal braking device characteristically has small resistance while line is reeled in, and large braking force with which backlash is prevented when casting.
In these centrifugal braking devices, the number of shifting members that travel radially is varied in order to adjust the braking force. Each of the shifting members therefore is provided with a lock mechanism that switches the shifting members into an operating position in which they can come into contact with the brake element, and into a non-operating position in which they cannot make contact.
When lure fishing, for instance, with a bait reel having this type of centrifugal braking device, wherein lures of different weights such as plugs and worms are used, if the braking force is constant the flight distance when casting fluctuates depending on the lure weight. Thus, adjusting the braking force according to weight is desirable wherein lures of differing weights are used.
With the conventional centrifugal braking devices noted above, since the shifting members travel radially, in the same direction as the centrifugal force acts, large braking forces are gained. Nevertheless, the braking force has to be adjusted by increasing/decreasing the number of shifting members that can contact the brake element by means of the lock mechanisms with which the shifting members are equipped. Instances therefore arise in which to adjust the braking force it is necessary to operate a number of the lock mechanisms, which complicates braking force adjustment.
Therein, Japanese Laid-Open Pat. App. No. 10-304798 discloses a centrifugal braking device in which braking force adjustment can be single-operation-regulated by a dial exposed on the exterior of the body of the reel.
The centrifugal braking device is provided with: a rotary member that rotates linked with the spool; a plurality of shifting members disposed radially on the rotary member and fitted to permit pivoting on the rotary member; a brake element provided on the body of the reel to allow it reciprocating travel in the spool axle direction to enable it to abut on the tips of the shifting members; and a shifting mechanism having a dial that is turned to reciprocatingly shift the brake element. Contact portions are provided on the tips of the shifting members for contact with the brake element. A ring-shaped brake shoe that comes into contact with the contact portions is provided on the side face of the outer circumferential side of the brake element, which is a disk-shaped member. Turning the dial on the shifting mechanism shift s the brake element reciprocatingly in the spool axle direction.
When the spool rotates in the above-noted conventional centrifugal braking device, centrifugal force acts on the shifting members, which pivots the shifting members turning outward in the spool axial direction. They then come into contact with the brake shoe, which brakes the spool. Braking force can be single-operation adjusted by turning the dial to shift the brake element in the spool axle direction, which changes the pivoting angle of the shifting members when they contact the brake shoe.
With the above-noted conventional centrifugal braking device, braking force adjustment is simply carried out by turning the dial. Nevertheless, large braking forces are hard to gain, since the braking force obtained by contact with the brake shoe is gained depending on the force from the shifting members pivoting axially outward.
This is because it is difficult efficiently to retrieve as a braking force radially acting centrifugal force, since the shifting members pivot axially outward, and do not travel in the radial outward direction. What is more, since braking force is adjusted by varying the pivoting angle of the shifting members, the change in braking force when the brake element is shifted in the spool axle direction is small; a distinct change in braking force can hardly be sensed.